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Configure your development environment

After you install the BlackBerry Native Plug-in for Microsoft Visual
Studio and open Microsoft Visual
Studio, the BlackBerry tab is displayed. There are a few things that you should do to
configure your development environment, and the BlackBerry tab is where you start.

Register with BlackBerry

To sign and publish your completed app, you must register with BlackBerry by creating a BlackBerry
ID token and a developer certificate.

In the BlackBerry Signing Authority window, you can register, unregister, and
edit the publisher information.

Register: You must
register before you can sign your app.

Unregister: If you
unregister, you must request a new BlackBerry
ID token before you can sign your app.

Edit Publisher info: You can change the name that you
register your app with. The next time you build your app, the new name appears.

You can register more than one device, but only one can
be active at a time.

In the Developer
Registration window, complete the Author Name field. The author name appears on your app.

In the Password
field, type the password that you will use for your BlackBerry
ID token and confirm the password.

Click Create Token. The Request BlackBerry
ID token window opens, and you can log in or create an
account.

In the Username and Password
fields, type your username and password for your BlackBerry
ID.

Click Sign In.

If successful, the Developer Registration window displays a message that
a BlackBerry
ID token is created.

Certificates

Your app must be signed by a developer certificate,
which is created independently of the BlackBerry
ID token. Signing your app adds cryptographic hash values to
your application package, which helps to verify the integrity and authenticity of
your app to other users and to the device.

To create a certificate, click
Create Certificate.

To import an existing
certificate, click Import Certificate.

When
registration is complete, a message is displayed in the Developer Registration
window.

If registration is successful, a message similar to the following is displayed
in the BlackBerry Signing Authority window.

You can get the details about your certificate by clicking the
Details button in the BlackBerry Signing Authority window.

You can reload the author
information that's contained in the developer certificate by clicking
Load. You are prompted to enter the password that you
used when you created the BlackBerry
ID token.

Back up and restore

Click Backup to create a
backup of your BlackBerry
ID token or if you want to move your BlackBerry
ID token from one computer to another. A profile_backup.zip
file is created.

Click Restore if you
moved your BlackBerry
ID token from one computer to another and you want to
restore the token on your new computer.

Choose an API level

The API level determines which APIs are available for you to
use in your app. The API level corresponds to a version of the BlackBerry 10 OS (for example, 10.0, 10.1, 10.2, and 10.3). When you select an
API level for your project, you are choosing the version of the BlackBerry 10 OS that your app is compatible with.

The API level is backward compatible. Later API levels include all of the APIs
from lower API levels. For example, API level 10.3 includes all of the APIs from
10.2, 10.1, and 10.0. APIs are deprecated but are not removed, to ensure that
existing apps can continue to use them.

The API level of your app must
correspond to the API level of the device that you want to run your app on. Apps
that are developed with a lower API level are supported on existing devices and can
reach a broader market. However, apps that are developed with a later API level can
take advantage of a richer set of APIs and features.

If your
app uses APIs that were introduced in a later API level, you won't be able to
install the app on a device with a lower API level. However, you can run an app with
a lower API level on a device with a later API level because API levels are backward
compatible.

To choose an API level:

On the BlackBerry menu,
click Options > BlackBerry > API
Levels. In the Current API
Level drop-down list, the current API level is
displayed.

In the Current API Level drop-down list,
select the API level that you want your app to use.

You can also go to BlackBerry >
Targets and choose the API level you want.

Install a new API level

If there is no API level listed in
the Current API Level drop-down list, or if you want to install a different API
level, you can install a new API level.

In the API Levels window, click
Install to see the available API
level options.

In the Installation window, click the Native
SDK tab.

In the Available section, choose the API level that you
want and click Install.

In the Confirmation dialog box, choose the version that
you want and click Install.

In the Microsoft Visual Studio window,
click OK.

Click OK.

Add a custom NDK

You can add a custom version of the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK to use to build your apps.

In the API Levels window, click Install to see the available API level
options.

In the Installation window, in the
Available section, beside Add Custom
NDK, click Add.

In the New Custom NDK dialog box, fill in the required
details and click OK.

Uninstall an API level or custom NDK

You can uninstall an API level or custom NDK.

In the API Levels window, click Install.

In the Installation window, in the
Installed section, click
Uninstall.

You can monitor the status of your installation or uninstallation by clicking
Status in the API Levels
window.

Choose a simulator

You can use the BlackBerry 10 Device Simulator to test your app. You don't need a debug token or BlackBerry
ID token to run apps on the BlackBerry 10 Device Simulator.

If you are testing using the BlackBerry 10 Device Simulator, you should download a simulator that matches your SDK. For more
information about the simulator, see Using the simulator.

Before you download the simulator, you must install VMware Player. Download and install VMware Player 3.1 or later.

In the API Levels window, click Install.

In the Installation window, click the
Simulator tab.

In the Available section, choose the
simulator that you want and click Install.

The simulator is installed in the
bbndk_vs folder.

In the Confirmation dialog box, choose the version that you
want and click Install.

In the Microsoft Visual Studio window, click
OK.

Click OK.

To uninstall a simulator:

In the API Levels window, click Install.

In the Installation window, click the
Simulator tab.

In the Installed section, click
Uninstall.

You can monitor the status of your installation or uninstallation by clicking
Status in the API Levels window.

Choose a runtime library

The device runtime includes the files that you need to perform
debugging or profiling on a particular device. There is one device runtime for every
released device build (such as 10.3.1.1154, 10.3.0.1172, and so on). It is installed
on your computer when you try to start an app on a device. The device runtime
corresponds to the API level, but it does not include information that is in the API
level, such as header files. When there is a new device runtime, there is also a new
API level. However, unlike the API level, you don't select the device runtime for a
project.

When you deploy your app, the Update Manager automatically detects
whether you have the correct API level and runtimes installed for your device. If
there is a mismatch, the API Levels dialog box opens and you are prompted to install
or update the runtime libraries or API level to deploy your app. If you do not
install the runtime or API level, your app will not deploy.

If you already have more than one runtime library installed, you can choose which
runtime library you want to use by clicking BlackBerry > Targets and choosing the
runtime library that you want.

Install a runtime library

In the API Levels window, click Install.

In the Installation window, click the Runtime
Library tab.

In the Available section, choose the runtime library that
you want and click Install.

In the Confirmation window, choose the version that you
want and click Install.

In the Microsoft Visual Studio window, click
OK.

Click OK.

To uninstall a Runtime Library:

In the API Levels window, click Install.

In the Installation window, click the Runtime
Library tab.

In the Installed section, click
Uninstall.

You can monitor the status of your installation or uninstallation by clicking
Status in the API Levels
window.

Set a target device

When you set a target device, you must choose which version of the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK you are going to use. Then, you must set either a BlackBerry target device or a BlackBerry 10 Device Simulator target. This target is used when you build your project or
solution.

Add a target device

On the BlackBerry menu,
click Options > BlackBerry >
Targets.

Click Add.

In the Add New Target Device window, in the
Type drop-down list, select the type of device.

Fill in the Name, IP, and
Password fields for the device.

You can find the IP address by navigating to Settings > Security and Privacy > Development Mode on the device.

The simulator IP address is found in the lower-left corner of the VMware Player window. Do not use the IP address that is
provided on the Development Mode screen in the simulator.

Click OK.

You can test the connection of your device by clicking Test.

Edit a target device

In the Targets window, in the Known
Targets section, click the target that you want to edit.

Remove a target device

In the Targets window, in the Known
Targets section, click the target that you want to remove.

Click Remove.

Click Yes.

Set a target device as active

The Set Active button acts as a toggle. When a target is active, the letter "x"
appears in the A column.

In the Targets window, in the Known
Targets section, click the target that you want to set as
active.

Click Set Active.

You can also change which target is active by clicking BlackBerry > Targets and choosing the
target that you want.

Upload a debug token

A debug token allows you to deploy unsigned apps on a device. If you
are using a simulator, you don't need a debug token. Debug tokens are valid for 30
days. When a debug token expires, the device no longer allows unsigned apps that
rely on that token to run. When a debug token expires, you can generate a new one
from the BlackBerry
ID token that's registered on your computer.

If you previously used code signing keys to register another BlackBerry 10 device on your computer, your code signing keys will
remain on your computer and continue to function. You should link them to your BlackBerry
ID. For more information, see Link a BlackBerry
ID account to an older set of signing keys.

Your BlackBerry
ID token is valid for one year. When it expires, you must create
a new one. Visit Code Signing Support for help with your BlackBerry
ID token.

1. Choose your focus

This is the focus controller. Use this controller to choose your primary development approach (Cascades or Core).

By selecting a focus, you get to decide what content should be front and center on the site.

2. Download the tools

Before you start developing, you'll need to visit the Downloads tab. Here you'll find downloads for the BlackBerry 10 Native SDK, BlackBerry 10 Device Simulator, and some other useful tools.

3. Try the sample apps

Now featuring a filter control, the Sample apps tab allows you to search for samples by name or by feature.

Select either the Core or Cascades check boxes to display the samples relevant to your focus.

4. Educate yourself

The Documentation tab contains tons of examples, tutorials, and best practices to guide you along the path towards building an awesome app.

The documentation for your preferred focus always appears at the top of the left-hand navigation, but you can still access the rest of the documentation at the bottom.

5. Start developing

The Reference tab is where you'll find essential details about how to use our APIs.

You can use the left-hand navigation to choose how you would like to browse the reference: by module, by topic, or alphabetically. If you have an idea of what you are looking for, start typing it in the Filter box.